Successful migration of email from PlusNet to MS365

[#1]

I finally bit the bullet and moved my email from PlusNet to M365, including emails to 2 custom domains.

The domains are registered with and hosted by PlusNet, so have to work within the limitations of their DNS configuration webpages in the member center.

So first off add your custom domain(s) to M365.

Use their "wizard" in the setup pages and at the appropriate point chose the option to use .TXT files on the domain's website.

They will allow you to download these file(s) and simply upload them into the /htdocs/ folder on your PlusNet webspace.

This is quick and easy, allows you to verify the domains with M365 without need any other changes (at this stage) that might disrupt your emails.

You can then go ahead and configure M365 using the new custom domains.

e.g.

Setup additional user mailboxes

Create free "Shared mailboxes"

Add in the "Exchange Admin" console - transport rule(s) to implement the "Catch-All" functionality

Once this is done go into your PlusNet "Manage My Account" and choose "Manage DNS"

Change email delivery from "POP3" to "Other"

Add the MX and CNAME records provided by MS365 [* see below]

- sadly can't add the TXT record they suggest for SPF/DKIM/DMARC

Set email back from "Other" to "POP3" and leave overnight for the new DNS records to propagate

- you may experience about 30 minutes of disruption to email delivery but the change from POP3 to Other takes effect pretty quickly

The following day (I did it about 7.45pm GMT) switch from POP3 to other once more.

Approx 20-25 minutes later email started flowing into MS365

[*]

In the PlusNet DNS screen

- in the "right hand" field always add a dot "." at the right hand end of the domain name (whether or not MS365 specifies it)

- in the left hand field for CNAME records do NOT add the dot at the right hand end

- in the left hand field for MX records use your custom domain name e.g. "mydomain.com." and add the dot at the right hand end

Hope this helps anyone else trying to do this.

Happy to elaborate on any of the above

Tim

[#2]

Hi Tim,

An interesting article which notably seemed to point to something which I thought was not do-able with Microsoft Office (Microsoft365), certainly not with the home / family / personal version.

Add a domain to Microsoft 365 - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Docs states...

"To add, modify, or remove domains, you must be a Domain Name Administrator or Global Administrator of a business or enterprise plan. These changes affect the whole tenant; Customized administrators or regular users won't be able to make these changes."

Can you please clarify which flavour of Microsoft365 you are using here?

[#3]

Ah sorry missed that out of the title line

I'm using/referring to Microsoft 365 Business Standard in the post above.  With this you can add multiple domains.

I previously had M365 Home and I was able to get into the M365 Admin Centre.  The single user account *is* a Global Administrator, but could well be the case that they don't give you the option to add a domain.

Having said that:

Get a personalized email address in Microsoft 365

possibly some caveats mentioned in the 2020 vintage article:

Here's how Office 365 users can get a custom email address -- without corporate headaches | ZDNet

a looong thread

Use of own domain name with Office 365 Home/Premium - Microsoft Community

seems to suggest that if you have MS365 Home and you shared it with 5/6 other users they can each have a unique email address on the custom domain too

[#4]

Can maybe mark this thread as incorrect/out-of-date:

MS Office 365 - Verify Domain for Email Setup - Plusnet Community

The last post in it (of 3) states that what I successfully achieved is not possible - when it now is